Peters



(NoModeL) 'T.F. LAWSON & WLK. BURTON.

BASKET. I No. 354,713. Patented Dec. 21, 1886.

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PATENT Fries.

TnoMAs F. LAWSON AND WILLIAM K. BURTON, or ATHENS, GEORGIA.

BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part-of Letters Patent No. 354,713, dated December 21, 1886.

I Application filed Jnlyl, 1886. 'Serial No. 206,854. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THOMAS F. LAWSON and WILLIAM K. BURTON, citizens of the United States, residing at Athens, in the county of Clarke and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Baskets and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains make and use the same.

. Ourinvention relates particularly to baskets of the class in which a folding frame of rigid material is combined with and supports a bag or body of cloth or other flexible material.

The invention is fully explained in this specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fold ing frame of our improved basket. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the complete basket. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the top bar of one of the framesections and the margin of the bag attached thereto. Fig. 4 is an en larged view, partly in section and partly in end elevation, showing a means of fastening the cover over the mouth or top of the basket and Fig. 5 is a detail view showing one end of the hem E of the flap E and the rodF pro- 0 jecting therefrom.

The frame of the basket illustrated in these figures consists of two rigid rectangles, AA A A and B B B B, each of the rectangles being composed of two side bars and two cross-bars, and the two rectangles being connected by pivots O O, passing through the side bars, preferably at their centers. The side bars of the two rectangles are halved at their ends to receive the cross-bars, for the purpose of avoiding any projecting or irregular surfaces at the angles of the frame, and this feature of construction is desirable, though not essential.

The body of the basket is a bag of any suitable fabric, and having preferably a rectangular bottom. It is supported by the upper cross-bars, A B, of the frame, and may be fastened to them in any desiredmanner, but preferably in the way shown in the drawingsthat is, by forming a wide hem, D, about the mouth of the bag, inserting the bars A B in the hem, and fastening the bars to the respective side bars, A A B B, by means of screws or nails passing through the crossbars and the material which incloses them. This means has the advantages of cheapness, simplicity, and security. It really adds nothing to the cost of either the frame or the bag/(since the hem is necessary to properly strengthen the margin of the bag,) and the bars, when inserted in the hem, glve the bag a more perfect and uniform support than could beafforded if the edge of the bag were fastened to the bars by tacks or nails placed at intervals.

A flap or cover, E, is fastened to the bag just below one of the bars, as A, Figs. 3, 4, one edge of the cover being stitched'to the bag and the other edge being free. This cover may be stretched across the mouth of the bag and fastened .in place in various ways; but

we prefer the means illustrated in the drawthat while the primary office of the flap E is to cover the bag, the parts may, in large baskets, be made heavy enough for the frame and cover to constitute a substantial and durable camp-stool; and for this use we believe the fastening F G to be especially desirable. The edge of the flap may be fastened to the crossbar A instead of to the bag, though we prefer to have the bag and cover detachable from the frame, as shown, and the securing-rod F may be caught in slots or notches G cut in the bars B, if desired. To avoid weakening the frame, however, it is preferable to use separate hooks G, as first suggested. 9

The basket described and illustrated is simple in construction and admirably adapted for shipment. The frames may be made by any mechanic, and may be packed, either with or without the bags, with the utmost economy of space. The bags, if made of proper material, are exceedingly durable, and when worn out they can be replaced quickly and at slight cost.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a basket, of a supporting-frame, abag having a hem about its 5 margin, and bars inserted in said hem and fastened to said frame.

2. The combination of the pivoted side bars, A A B B, the cross-bars A A B B, eonnecting the side bars, and the bag D, having the 10 hem D, said bars A B being inserted in said hem and rigidly fastened to the side bars, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the frame and the i :5 bag D, suspended therein, ofthe flap having one of its edges fastened at one side of the frame and bag, the rod F, attached to the free edge of the flap, and hooks G, or their equiyalent, attached to the frame and adapted to receive and retain the rod E, and secure the free edge of the flap when stretched across the bag, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS F. LAWSON. I WILLIAM K. BURTON. Witnesses:

J. N. WEBB, J. F. RHODES. 

